


His Savior

by hannibaldelrey



Category: The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: Canon-Typical Violence, Eventual Smut, F/M, Jealous Negan (Walking Dead), Negan Being Negan (Walking Dead), Possessive Negan (Walking Dead), Protective Negan (Walking Dead)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-17
Updated: 2021-02-19
Packaged: 2021-03-12 09:54:04
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,962
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29507904
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hannibaldelrey/pseuds/hannibaldelrey
Summary: Adelaide had been on her own for too long, 5 years in the apocalypse without a solid group. People had come and gone, but she refused to let herself die. She'd spent her entire life longing to help someone, to make an impact on the people around her. The possibility that someone, somewhere was waiting for someone like Addy to step into their life was the only thing that kept her going. What happens when that someone is an overly confident, complete pain in the ass, who happens to be imprisoned in her new home?
Relationships: Negan (Walking Dead)/Original Female Character(s)
Comments: 10
Kudos: 11





	1. Chapter 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey hey! I've been extremely bored over quarantine and I'm currently suffering from TWD withdrawals while waiting for the new episodes, so I decided to write a fic! I'm not really expecting anyone to read this (I'm writing more for myself than for kudos) but if you're here, welcome! I would love some feedback on this, so leave a comment with any suggestions. This is my first published writing piece so please don't be too harsh :)  
> I'm going to try to keep this fic relatively close to the plot of TWD season 9, other than Rick being safe and sound in Alexandria instead of being in the helicopter with landfill lady. The events of season 9 are also occurring earlier, so Negan has only been locked up for three years  
> I'm really excited about what I have planned for this story, so without further ado, here is the story!  
> Enjoy, muah <3 <3

_Just keep running. You’re not going out like this._

Thorns and sticks slapped and scratched her dirty skin, tearing open the barely healed wounds covering her lower legs. Her bare feet pounded the ground beneath her, desperate to escape the impending doom following close behind. Her weak, malnourished body could barely handle the vigorous physical activity, but she had no choice. Either run like hell, or be eaten.

The walkers had come in the dead of night, somehow avoiding the various traps she had set around her temporary home. She barely made it out alive, using most of her stored strength to fight off a walker who was mere seconds away from gnawing off her foot. She didn’t even think to grab her shoes, or any of the few supplies she had collected over the years, which definitely had its consequences. Running barefoot through the middle of a forest was somewhat painful, but she didn’t have any other options.

Part of her wanted to accept death and welcome it as an old friend, to let the biters behind her consume her weathered body. There was something beautiful about becoming a part of the worlds new food chain, other than the whole being eaten alive part.That was definitely unappealing. She so desperately wanted to stop straining herself, and to be with everyone she had lost after the world went to shit. She tried to slow her pace, but she was no longer in control of her actions. Fear and adrenaline had taken the reins, and they were not planning on stopping anytime soon. Her feet continued to pound the weathered earth beneath her, tearing through any shrubbery in her path.

She had no idea how long she had been running, but the consequences of overexertion were beginning to take place. Her chest ached, desperate to supply her body with enough air and her vision blurred as her head throbbed. She couldn’t remember the last time she had a meal bigger than a few bugs or a handful of scavenged berries, which was most likely influencing her poor physical health. Time begins to blur after a certain point of being alone. Time didn’t matter anymore, only surviving did. Every waking moment of the day felt like one long, horrific nightmare.

Not paying attention to where she stepped, she tumbled over a protruding tree root and fell to the ground, her limbs splayed out beneath her.

_Get up. They’re getting too close._

The walkers noticed her fatal mistake, and took advantage of her weak position. They reached their decaying hands towards her, jaws snapping, prepared to consume what little meat she had left on her bones.

_This is it._

Making peace with her tragic demise, she shut her tear filled eyes, waiting to feel the sharp pain of being torn apart, but it never came. Instead, a wooden arrow soared through the air above her, piercing the skull of the walker closet to her. The walker collapsed on top of her, covering her small frame in decayed organs and blood. She shoved the walker off of her body with a small grunt, and pushed herself to her feet, not wanting to meet whoever saved her life. She has crossed paths with too many terrible people who only wanted to take advantage of her, so no one could be trusted. Even if they may have saved her life.

She began tearing through the deep forest again, running as far away as possible from her arrow wielding savior. She whipped her head around to see if they were pursuing her, and saw a man with a crossbow barreling towards her. Terrified of the fate that might follow if she went with the man, she ran faster than she ever had before.

The man muttered a few curses and increased his speed to catch up with her. “Hey! Stop running, I’m not gonna hurt ya!”

_That’s what they all say._

Lucky for her pursuer, her body had begun to shut down from pure exhaustion, slowing her pace. Her muscles ached and throbbed, desperate for a break from running. Before she knew it, her legs gave out from under her, sending her tumbling towards the ground. Her entire world went black.

_I should’ve let the walkers kill me._

The man with the crossbow halted in his tracks, scooped her frail body up from off of the forest floor and cradled her in his arms. He shouted out in a thick souther drawl, “Rick, I got ‘er! She’s out cold, we gotta get ‘er to Siddiq.”

————

Bright light interrupted her deep, much needed slumber. Not wanting to wake up just yet, she rolled onto her stomach to block out the light.

_Wait. Where the shit am I?_

Remembering the events that occurred before she passed out, her eyes shot open, expecting to be someplace shitty, being held captive by the scary crossbow man. To her surprise, she was in a room that was quite the opposite.

She was in a large, open room surrounded by hospital beds and various medical supplies. Other than the whole hospital feeling of the room, it felt homey. Sort of comforting and lively. She was the only inhabitant of the room, and was attached by the arm to an IV bag that hung from a metal hook above her bed. To her left, there was an open door that granted her visual access to the outside environment.

The land outside was covered in various green, flourishing crops and surrounded by a large metal wall, which appeared to shield its residents from the horrors of the outside world. There were children frolicking through the open land and older adults tending to the crops or overseeing the children’s activities. Everyone looked perfectly happy, as if everything outside was normal. Every person had a genuine smile plastered on their face, which is something she hadn’t seen in a long time. It was oddly peaceful, knowing that there was a small piece of paradise in the middle of the hellhole we call Earth. For the first time in a long time, she felt a little safe.

Sensing another presence in the room, she whipped her head around, ready to defend herself. An older man with peppered gray hair stepped through the back door of the room, slightly limping with the help of a cane. He took off a weathered sheriffs hat that was previously shading his head from the Virginian sun, and slowly lowered himself into a chair near the door. Instinctively, she hopped off of the bed, tore out her IV, and slowly crept away from the man, trying to create as much distance between them as possible.

“Hey, no need to be afraid. You’re safe here,” the man cautioned, “My name is Rick Grimes, and I’m the leader of this community. Is it alright if I ask you some questions?”

Temporarily lowering her defenses, she sat back down on the creaky bed closest to her and responded in almost a whisper, “Yeah, that’s fine officer.” She cringed at her pitiful attempt at a joke. “Sorry, it’s been a while since I’ve uh - you know, spoken to anyone other than myself.”

Rick chuckled a little and smiled, “That’s quite alright. What’s your name? And how long have you been out there?”

Overwhelmed by the shock of actual human interaction, she paused and sighed before stammering, “I’m Addy. Adelaide. And I’ve been on my own pretty much since the world went to shit. Not sure how long though, you begin to lose track of time after a while.” Realizing that she might sound like a lunatic, Adelaide began to ramble, “I’m not completely loony, even though that’s exactly what a crazy person would say if they were in my situation. I learned how to cope and stay sane after a while, so no need to throw me in the loony bin.”

She looked up at Rick to see that he was a little taken aback by her bluntness, and murmured, “I should probably shut up now.” Addy pinched the bridge of her nose and turned a bright shade of crimson with embarrassment. She quickly apologized, saying, “My bad, like I said, it’s been a hot minute since I’ve had an actual conversation.”

Rick chuckled again. “You don’t sound crazy, you sound relatively sane for someone who has been out there for that long.” He shifted in his chair, obviously uncomfortable with the question he was about to ask. “Were you with anyone? It’s understandable if you don’t wanna go into detail, I’m just curious about how someone could ever last that long out there alone.”

Adelaide took a deep, calming breath before starting, “Groups of people came and went, but it never ended well. After a while I decided to stay on my own, keep myself from losing anyone else. I never really was a sociable person before, so I stuck with what I was used to. As for how I survived, I’m not really sure. Sometimes it was just pure luck, other times it was because I’m a total badass.” They both chuckled a little, happy they could be friendly with each other. “Before all of this, I studied psychology which really helped with the whole being alone part. I guess knowing what was going on inside my head is what helped keep me sane.”

In awe of her story, Rick sat back in his chair and studied her face. “That sure is amazing. I can’t imagined what that could’ve been like. You said you studied psychology, right? Were you a therapist or…?” He trailed off.

Adelaide nodded, confused as to why this would matter to Rick. “Yeah, I was on my way to become a therapist, I have no actual experience whatsoever though. Shit hit the fan right in the middle of my college education.”

Rick thought for a moment, clearly internally debating something. As to what that something was, Addy had no idea.

“That type of background could certainly be put to use here, there’s someone who really needs that type of attention.” Rick smiled to himself, obviously amused by the thought of whatever crazy person he was talking about. “But before you can leave the infirmary, you need to be cleared by the doc. And we have a sort of interview process here for any new arrivals, so if it’s alright with you, I got to ask you a set questions.”

Adelaide nodded in approval.

“How many walkers have you killed?”

“Too many to count.”

“How many people have you killed?”

Taken aback by the question and the memories it triggered, Addy faltered for a moment. After calming herself, she murmured, “Two.”

“Why?”

“It was either me or them. I had no other choice.” Tears began to well in her eyes, Rick’s question obviously opening a closed wound. “Sorry, I’m not a huge fan of thinking about it.”

“Alright, I’ll tell Siddiq to come an’ check you out. I’ll be waitin’ outside for you.”

Adelaide let out a sigh of relief as Rick left the room, happy that she hadn’t messed up her only chance of salvation behind these walls. Maybe she was finally home, once and for all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoyed! I didn't want to make this chapter too long, so I decided to stop it there! If you happen to have any feedback or suggestions, feel free to leave a comment!  
> Yours truly,  
> hannibaldelrey <3<3


	2. Chapter 2

“And this here is your new place, Adelaide.”

Rick had taken Adelaide on a full tour of the community, which she had learned was called Alexandria. The infirmary where she was previously stationed was near the edge of the compound, surrounded by farmland, a manmade lake, and various structures. She had been inside of the main building, which resembled something of a town hall, where she met two of the other leaders: Michonne and Gabriel. From what Adelaide could tell, Michonne seemed to be romantically involved with Rick, and was very skeptical of Addy’s arrival, keeping her terrifying samurai sword close to her. Gabriel had less of a cold demeanor towards Addy, greeting her kindly, but very briefly. Everyone seemed to not trust Addy, which she attributed to a possible bad past experience with newcomers. They would come around eventually. Her and Rick’s tour had ended in front of a large residential building, clearly built before the apocalypse, which was her new home. The building appeared to be something like a condo, consisting of multiple separate homes for Alexandria’s residents. Addy was surprised by Rick’s generosity, definitely not expecting to have an entire house to herself. It would feel a little odd, living in something so mundane after being on the road for so long, but Addy was grateful to have a roof over her head. 

“Thank you, Rick. For your hospitality.” She paused momentarily, basking in the warm feeling of having a place to call home. “I can tell that you guys aren’t used to having any new people here, so thank you for giving me a chance.”

This was true, as many of the people throughout the grounds of Alexandria appeared weary of Addy’s arrival. Parents gripped their children a little tighter and stared at her as if she were a caged wild animal, ready to attack at any moment. This was understandable, due to Addy’s extremely weathered appearance, which made her stand out even more from the clean, healthy-looking residents of Alexandria. Her entire body was caked with dirt and dried walker guts, hiding her pale complexion. She was still barefoot, and her two-sizes-too-small jeans were perfectly showcasing the various bandages covering the cuts and scrapes on her lower extremities. Her frizzy brown hair was matted and knotted, giving her the appearance of a very skinny, frail lion. Addy’s hair had been her favorite trait about herself before the world ended, always perfectly styled and in place. Sadly, there was no time to touch up her looks while fleeing from reanimated corpses 24/7, so her natural beauty had been hidden under her rough appearance. In the wild, she had used the camouflage to her advantage to blend in with her environment, but that had no use behind these walls. She could finally feel normal (and clean) for the first time in a long time.

_I don’t even want to know what I smell like… Hopefully there’s time for a shower later._

“It’s my pleasure,” Rick smiled. “I’ll let you get settled in and I’ll send somebody to give you some necessities and fresh clothes in a bit.”

Grinning like an idiot, Addy babbled her thanks again before remembering one last question she had for Rick. “The man with the crossbow that was chasing me, does he live here? I’d love to thank him for saving my ass out there, ya know?”

“Yeah, that’s Daryl. I think he’s out huntin’ at the moment, but I’ll tell him to stop by when he’s back.”

Adelaide smiled in appreciation and said goodbye to Rick, eager to see the inside of her new home. She fumbled with the key Rick had given her, her hands shaking with excitement, before opening the door to her new and improved life. She walked down a hallway, taking note of the flight of stairs next to it, and arrived in her living room. The room was pretty much empty, other than a tan sofa in front of a fireplace and a small handcrafted wooden dining table, with a matching set of chairs. The dark oak floor led Addy to the kitchen, which was branched off from the living room. Taking a peek in the white cabinets above the countertop, Addy found them to be fully stocked with various breads & flour, mason jars filled with some sort of pickled vegetables, and an abundance of homegrown produce. Noticing the ache in her stomach, Addy reached for an apple and scarfed it down in mere seconds. The house was clearly prepared prior to her arrival, but it lacked all of the necessary components to feel like an actual home. The white walls were bare, lacking framed artwork or family photos that should belong there, and the room felt empty, far too little clutter for Addy’s taste. Adelaide was determined to make the house into a lively, happy environment for her to thrive in.

Finishing up her examination of the main floor of the house, Adelaide made her way up the stairs to the second story. The stairs led into a huge bedroom, equipped with its own fireplace, king sized bed, and desk. A giant open window allowed a cool breeze of wind to enter the room, soothing Addy’s hot skin. It wasn’t much, but she was in love with the room and beaming with joy. The floors had changed from the dark wood of the lower level to a tacky grey carpet, which felt amazing underneath Addy’s blistered feet. Adelaide made her way into the en suite bathroom, taking in her appearance in a nearby mirror.

She couldn’t remember the last time she had looked in a mirror, barely recognizing herself. She looked older and more mature, weathered by the horrors of the outside world. Although she was extremely content, a worried expression was plastered across her face, almost like her body thought she still wasn’t safe. Addy was relatively sane, considering her past circumstances, but she couldn’t shake the feeling that she can’t be safe here. Taking a deep breath to push away her anxiety, she stepped closer to the mirror and examined her face. It was caked in dirt and dried blood, not knowing if it was walkers blood or her own from the small head wound she sustained while running. Addy turned on the sink faucet, cupped some warm water in her hands, and splashed it over her face, rinsing away the grime covering her skin. Along with the dirt and blood, she felt as if the water was rinsing away any anxieties or worries she had about her new home, making her feel a little more safe.

After Addy turned off the running water, she could hear a faint knocking at her front door. She slowly crept down the stairs and peeked through a window near the door, making sure that the visitor wasn’t a threat. A blonde woman with an odd looking neck tattoo was perched on her porch, carrying a woven basket full of clothes and other miscellaneous items.

Cracking open the door, Addy quavered, “Uh- do you need something?”

“Yup. Rick sent me over with some necessities, thought you would want to clean up. I added some tampons and shit in there too, cause that seemed to have slipped Rick’s mind” Adelaide opened the door and accepted the basket. “My name’s Laura, by the way.”

“Hi Laura. Sorry for being on self defense mode there, having neighbors is definitely something I’m gonna have to get accustomed to. I’m Adelaide, but I prefer Addy.”

Laura smiled, “No you’re good, I woulda done the same thing. Anyways, I’ve gotta get goin’, but if you need anything, come and find me. I’m usually on duty at the gate and my casa is a few doors down.”

“Great. Thank you, Laura.”

Laura nodded and made her way down the steps before pausing and turning back to Addy. “And Rick wanted me to tell you to expect a visit from him tomorrow morning. He wants to talk to you about a job or some shit like that.”

Addy nodded slowly, wondering what kind of labor she would have to participate in the earn her keep around here. She practically slammed the front door, eager to see what was in the basket Laura had brought her. Making her way into the living room, Addy plopped onto the sofa and began to examine the basket. It was full of new clothes: A pair of worn black leather boots, some socks, two bras, a couple pairs of underwear, various shirts and tank tops, and two pairs of dark wash jeans. She set aside her new wardrobe and sorted through the items buried underneath the clothes. There were various bars of soaps, a few random rags, a towel, a wooden hair brush, a tube of what appeared to be homemade deodorant, a razor, feminine products, and unlabeled bottles of shampoo & conditioner. Excited to finally shower and put her new goodies to use, Addy loaded the items back into the basket and practically skipped up the stairs and into the bathroom.

She set the basket on the counter, tore her worn clothes off, and examined her body in the mirror. Malnutrition had taken over Addy’s body, her ribs peeking out from her sides and her face appearing sunken in. Not wanting to think about her appearance too much, Addy stepped into the shower and turned on the water. The hot water washed away the grime caking her skin, turning the water below her a murky brown color. Addy took her time, savoring the luxury of hot running water and washing every inch of her body, making sure to scrub off any evidence of her life outside the walls of Alexandria. She reached for the hair brush placed on the counter, and began working it through her matted, dirty hair. A concerning amount of leaves and twigs fell out of the mess, and after a long period of yanking on her scalp, Addy’s hair had returned to its semi-normal state. Remembering the razor on the counter and the years it had been since she had shaved, Addy chopped off the forest of body hair on her entire body. Finally happy with her level of cleanliness, she turned off the water, wrapped herself in a towel, and hopped out of the shower. After drying her body, she threw her hair into the towel and threw on some of her new clothes, ending up dressed in an oversized black t-shirt, which she had knotted at the side of her torso, and old jeans.

Addy exited the bathroom and practically collapsed on her bed, exhausted by the events of the day. The soft mattress and blankets soothed her into a deep slumber, which she desperately needed.

————

“Hey! You alive up there?”

Addy was abruptly awaken from her nap by a man’s voice carrying through her open window from her front porch. She panicked for a moment, shrinking underneath her sheets before remembering that she’s perfectly safe in Alexandria, at least for the near future. She must’ve fallen asleep for quite awhile, as it was now almost pitch black outside and a chilly night gush of wind crept into her room. Addy hopped out of bed, made her way down the stairs, and peeked out of a window to see scary crossbow-wielding man standing on her porch, looking a little annoyed.

Opening the door, Adelaide greeted the man. “Shit. Sorry if I kept you waiting, I must’ve fallen asleep.”

Addy got her first good look at the man that saved her life, and took in his appearance. His crossbow remained by his side, now hanging from his shoulder. He was wearing dark clothesand some sort of tattered bikers vest, which was a little odd. His face was shielded by scruffy, dark hair that was in dire need of a trim. He appeared to be rough and tough, someone Addy shouldn’t mess with, but Addy could see past that facade. His eyes were what gave it away, his tough expression never really reached them. He sort of looked like a sad lost puppy, but in a scary badass way. Addy wondered what he had seen and done on his journey to this utopia, and felt sympathy for the man.

“It’s alright. Rick said you wanted ta talk to me?”

Faltering for a moment, Addy responded, “Yeah. I just wanted to, ya know, thank you for saving my ass out there. And I’m sorry for making you run after me, I was a little freaked out by the whole crossbow thing. Also, wanted to introduce myself. I’m Addy. I didn’t catch your name.”

“Name’s Daryl Dixon. No need to thank me though, it’s no big deal. That all?”

Smiling awkwardly, Addy sensed that Daryl had better things to do than talk to her. “Yep. That’s all. Nice meeting you, Daryl.”

“See ya.”

————

Addy groaned and stretched in bed, splaying her limbs across the wide mattress. The warm fall sun had just began to peek over the horizon, and Addy admired the beautiful view from her window. There were a few early risers tending to the fields below her and the people at the front gate appeared to be switching shifts. Addy couldn’t remember the last time she had the ability to really take in her surroundings and appreciate the beauty of the world, so she wanted to savor this moment for as long as possible.

Finally feeling motivated enough to leave the warmth of her bed, Adelaide migrated to the bathroom and prepared herself for the day. The long nights rest had significantly decreased the size of the bags underneath her eyes and removed the worried expression that had been stuck on her face. This made her look years younger, finally looking her actual age of 24 instead of like a frail old woman. She splashed cool water on her face, driving away any remaining grogginess she had left in her system. Adelaide searched through her small wardrobe, deciding on staying in the jeans she had fallen asleep in paired with a sand colored cropped tank top. She admired her body in the mirror and combed through her hair with her fingers, not wanting to disturb the wavy pattern it had dried in.

Satisfied with her appearance, Addy hopped down the stairs and into the kitchen, eager to find something to eat. She settled on an odd combination of bread and two fresh tomatoes. After scarfing down her food, she eagerly awaited Rick’s arrival, hoping that he wouldn’t take too long.

Several minutes passed before she heard a loud knocking on her door. She threw her usual cautious manner to the wind, and swung open the door, cheerfully greeting Rick.

Slightly taken aback by her sudden appearance, Rick chuckled, “Wow, you sure are a morning person. May I come in?”

Addy stepped aside and beckoned for Rick to come inside, leading him to the table in her living room. “I’m just eager to hear about what work you have in mind for me. I’m actually quite surprised that you came up with something that fast.”

Rick smiled before contemplating what to say next. “Well, yesterday you mentioned being trained in psychology, and we have a man, well more of a prisoner, that could use someone to talk to. We’ve had Gabe try to talk to him lately, but he’s not making much progress.”

Interrupting Rick, Addy blurted, “What do you mean by prisoner? What’d he do? Is he dangerous or anything like that?”

“I think it would be best for him to tell you the whole story himself, so he can let it all out, but he was a leader of another community. A community that was hungry for power and obtained that power through violence and fear. He hurt people. My people. And instead of killing him, we’ve had him locked up for the past 3 years. We wanted to keep him as a symbol of how far we’ve come. A symbol of our civility.”

Rick paused, studying Addy’s face, which was painted with a blank expression. She didn’t seem at all phased by Rick’s story. “I understand if you’re not up for it, but he’s gone on a hunger strike again cause he wants somebody new to talk to.”

Addy sighed for a moment, considering whether or not she was up for the job. After turning over the pros and cons, Addy stated, “Alright, I’ll do it.”

“Really? He can be a pain in the ass, really no one can stand him. I don’t want you to feel pressured to do this, I’m sure you could find another job doin’ somethin’ else.”

“No, I want to. I’m willing to pull my weight here, and to prove that I’m a part of this community. If babysitting some asshole is what you think I should invest my time in, I’ll be glad to do it.”

Rick grinned, obviously happy with her decision. “Alright! Thank you, that’s great. You can come down and introduce yourself to him whenever you’re ready.”

“I’m ready now, I just need to throw on my boots.”

_I really hope this wasn’t a shitty decision_

————

Rick began leading Addy down a short stairway underneath the residential building, leading to a tightly locked door. He turned to study her face, looking for any uncertainty or concern, but Addy looked determined to complete the task at hand, almost eager. Scanning his eyes down her frame, noticing something that could potentially be an issue.

“Hey, don’t take this the wrong way but,” Rick paused, rubbing his hand over his jaw. “He can be a little forward and he has absolutely no filter, so wearing, uh, something like _that_ could be grounds for a little harassment.”

Rick gestured towards Addy’s shirt, which definitely could’ve been a little more conservative. She had picked out a small tank top that would keep her cool in the warm sun, since she had assumed she would be working outside in the fields. The shirt was snug in certain places, slightly pushing her breasts together, putting her cleavage on display.

Reassuring Rick, she stated nonchalantly, “Don’t worry, I’ve dealt with plenty of perverted old dudes in my day. Nothing I can’t handle.”

“Alright, but if it’s too much you’re free to leave,” warned Rick as he opened the door.

The pair stepped into a dark cellar that seemed to have been converted into a prison. Rusted metal bars divided the room in half, keeping the prisoner at a safe distance from any visitors. The only source of light in the room was coming from a tiny window above a very uncomfortable looking cot, where a man lay, bouncing a ball on the ceiling.

The man called out, “Hey, Prick! You’ve finally stopped by. It's been a while, neighbor!”

Unamused with the mans comment, Rick scoffed and gestured for Addy to step farther into the room. The realization that she was going to be alone with a potentially dangerous madman finally set in, which had caused Addy to remain shielded behind Rick.

_C’mon get your shit together. There’s nothing you can’t handle._

Reassured by her new confidence, Addy stepped into the light in front of Rick, staring at the man behind bars. He noticed the other presence in the room and sat up from his cot, momentarily pausing bouncing the ball.

Taking in the woman in front of him, he jeered, “Aw Prick, is it our anniversary? Finally brought me some eye candy? Told ya the hunger strike would work asshole. Lookin’ at father Gabe all day was gettin’ a little nauseating.”

Offended by his comment, Addy fired back, “Nope. He brought you a therapist, not eye candy _asshole_.” She enunciated the last word, hoping it would upset him. Alas, it did no such thing.

The man scoffed and chuckled a little, unfazed by Addy’s comment.

Before Addy could fire back again, Rick intervened. “Negan, behave yourself. This is Adelaide. She’s willing to help you get over whatever shit you’ve got going on in that pea sized brain of yours.”

Negan tested her name out, saying it a few times before chuckling, “My brain may be pea sized, but somethin’ else certainly is not, if you get what I’m sayin’. Can’t say the same about you, Prick.” Rick and Addy had no reaction to his taunting. “Wow, tough crowd. I thought that was funny as shit.”

Ignoring Negan completely, Rick checked to make sure Addy was comfortable and said his goodbyes, leaving Addy alone with Negan.

Negan stood up from his bed and approached the cell bars, stepping into a patch of light. He certainly was significantly more attractive than Addy had assumed, especially considering his current circumstances. His hair was shaven short, into something resembling a buzz-cut, and the lower portion of his face was covered by short, scruffy facial hair. Negan’s blue collared shirt was slightly unbuttoned, showing off a large scar placed across his throat.

_Addy, get ahold of yourself. You can’t think he’s hot, stop being a perv._

Negan was sporting a shit-eating grin, and approached her with an overconfident, douchey stride. Although they remained a few feet apart, Negan towered over Addy’s small stature, adding to her growing fear of the man.

“So, _Adelaide_. We supposed to talk about our feelings? Have a little powwow and shed some tears? Sorry doll, but that shit is not happening.”

Addy took a deep breath to keep herself from losing her temper and devised a mental plan to build some rapport with him. “Negan, cut the shit. I can tell that you’re desperate for someone to talk to. I know what being alone like this is like. I was out there, mostly alone, ever since the world went to shit. Living like this is unbearable. And I think it would be mutually beneficial for both of us to have someone to talk to. We don’t have to talk about any mushy-gushy feelings, but I know people like you can’t live alone like this. That’s why you’ve been blabbering since the moment I stepped in here.”

Negan remained silent and shifted his weight between his feet, Addy obviously striking a nerve.

“If you don’t want to talk, I’ll just stay here until you do.” Addy stepped back from the cell bars and placed herself in a wooden chair near the door.

Negan remained close to the bars, his eyes following Addy as she retreated. “I don’t mind, doll. You can just sit there and look pretty until Prick decides I’ve had enough time with you.”

Fed up with his jokes, Adelaide snapped, “Why do you have to be such an asshole? I’m trying to help you, Negan.”

He was slightly shocked by her fiery remark, but played it off as amusement. He put his hands in the air, jeering, “Alright, alright. I surrender. What do you suppose we talk about? The damn weather?”

Pointing to Negan’s neck, Addy suggested, “Why don’t you tell me how you got that scar?”

He scoffed and ran his fingers over the healed wound, thinking of what to say. “I was kicking good old Rick’s ass in some hand-to-hand combat, ’til he pulled out a knife and slit my damn throat. Then the asshole nursed me back to health, just to prove that he was the good guy. Dick move if you ask me.”

“Damn,” Addy paused for a moment. “From what Rick has told me, it sort of seems like this is all justified.”

“Ha fuckin’ ha. You better be joking.”

“I’m not. Rick hasn’t told me any explicit details, but I know that your people hurt his people.”

“Doll, you are getting your info from a very biased source. Yeah, I hurt a shitload of people, I won’t lie about that. But what I did was needed to keep people in line, and to help everyone survive. It’s all about survival now, you of all people should know that.”

“I get that, I do. We’ve all done shitty things to get by, it’s how the world works.”

The pair sat in silence for a moment, analyzing what they had just discussed.

Obviously uncomfortable with the silence, Negan complained, “Alright, I talked with you. Do I get anything in return?”

“Nope.”

“Oh cmon, not even a pity rub through the bars?” Noticing the annoyed look on Adelaide’s face, Negan grimaced. “Too far?”

“Yup. Too far. I thought we progressed past the need for sexual comments.”

“Doll, I’ll aways need the sexual jokes. Especially when you look like that.”

“Shut it, Negan.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yayyy Addy finally met Negan. Hope you enjoyed this chapter!  
> Until next time,  
> hannibaldelrey <3


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